01.31.07

Cantwell, Feinstein Reintroduce Comprehensive Anti-Gang Legislation

Proposal would strengthen prosecution of gang members, deliver additional resources and personnel to areas plagued by gang violence

WASHINGTON, DC – Wednesday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) in introducing comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to combat violent gangs, reduce gang-related crime, and cut gang membership. Specifically, the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act would authorize more than $1 billion over the next five years to identify and assist areas especially prone to gang violence, target at-risk youth for gang intervention and prevention initiatives, improve the coordination of anti-gang efforts, and deliver more resources to law enforcement agencies. It would also establish new criminal gang offenses and strengthen the punishments for existing crimes.

“If we’re going to get tough on gangs, then we need to stand by our local law enforcement and get them the resources they need to continue keeping our families safe” said Cantwell. “We cannot ignore the rise in gang violence affecting too many of our communities. We need to stand by our law enforcement officers and keep violent gang members behind bars and off our streets.”

The Gang Abatement and Prevention Act, introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Cantwell, would help confront gang violence in communities across Washington state and the country, including communities like Spokane, Yakima, and Tacoma that have experienced a recent rise in gang violence. Cantwell cosponsored similar legislation during the 109th Congress, and is backing the updated legislation introduced Wednesday during the 110th Congress. The Gang Abatement and Prevention Act is endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations.

Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said, “Law Enforcement in Spokane and Spokane County, Washington formed a gang task force in June of 2006 consisting of both local and federal law enforcement officers. Since that time, they have been successful in taking leaders of gangs and the guns and drugs they sell off of our streets. Legislation such as that being sponsored by Senator Cantwell and our other national leaders is key in ensuring our continued success against the growing gang problem in America.”

Last July, Cantwell met with law enforcement and community leaders in Tacoma to discuss how federal support could help curb gang violence. The anti-gang legislation introduced Wednesday would help confront many of the problems identified at this and other meetings with Washington state law enforcement.

Tacoma Deputy Mayor Rick Talbert said, “Cosponsoring this important legislation underscores the senator’s willingness to partner with our citizens and community. She came to Tacoma, asked how she could support us in preventing gang violence. She took the time to listen to our concerns and has continued to seek funding and support to reach our mutual goals to address gang violence and provide essential prevention opportunities for our communities.”

The Gang Abatement and Prevention Act would:

  • Make recruiting minors to join criminal street gangs a federal crime carrying mandatory prison time.
  • Make illegal participation in a criminal street gang a federal crime.
  • Criminalize violent crimes in furtherance or in aid of criminal street gangs.
  • Increase the maximum sentences for many gang-related offenses and establish new mandatory minimum sentences.
  • Make murder and other violent crimes committed in connection with drug trafficking a new federal crime.
  • Allow for the prosecution of gang members who cross state lines to obstruct justice, or intimidate or retaliate against witnesses, jurors, informants, or victims.
  • Create tougher laws for certain federal crimes like carjacking, conspiracy, interstate assault, and other existing offenses in which gang members may be involved.
  • Increase penalties for the criminal use of firearms in crimes of violence and drug trafficking Increase penalties for illegal aliens who engage in certain violent and drug trafficking crimes
  • Allow for the detention of individuals charged with firearms offenses who have been previously convicted of violent crimes or serious drug offenses. Current law does not allow a prosecutor to ask that a person be held without bail in many of these cases.
  • Extend from five to 10 years the time within which a violent crime case can be charged and tried.
  • Allow prosecutors to more easily charge as adults 16- and 17-year olds suspected of serious violent felonies. However, unless the juvenile in question has been prosecuted previously as an adult, a judge would still review every decision a prosecutor makes to charge the juvenile as an adult.
  • Create and provide assistance for High Intensity Interstate Gang Activity Areas (HIIGAA). Specifically, the Attorney General would designate high intensity interstate gang activity areas and provide assistance in the form of criminal street gang enforcement teams made up of local, state, and federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute criminal street gangs in the designated areas.
  • Authorize $500 million over five years to support HIIGAA activities, including the establishment of a National Gang Activity Database, hiring of new prosecutors and agents, and promotion of gang activity prevention efforts.
  • Establish a national clearinghouse to collect and disseminate “best practices” for fighting gangs. Authorize an additional $270 million over three years for witness protection needs at all levels of government.
  • Authorize $100 million over five years to expand the Project Safe Neighborhood program and require U.S. Attorneys to identify and prosecute significant gangs within their district.

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